This invention relates to an improved water-based coating composition which on application provides a high gloss enamel finish. The composition is ideally suited as an exterior high gloss paint, especially for commercial sign painting.
Water-base coating compositions, such as latexes, acrylics, epoxides, and vinyl resins, are well known in the art. These coatings are highly desirable for a number of reasons, especially the facile manner in which they may be thinned or cleaned up during application. However, the water-base coatings have previously been unsuitable for commercial sign painting for a number of reasons.
Commercial sign painting requires a coating which dries as a very high gloss enamel. Previously water-base paints have only been able to attain, at best, a semi-gloss dried finish.
Commercial sign paint must have greater durability and resistance to sun fading than paints for other uses. It must also be rapid drying.
Therefore, to meet the requirements of commercial sign painting, oil-base enamels containing organic and petroleum solvents have been the only feasible choice.
The oil-based "bulletin enamels" or sign paint, however, which contains 28-50% organic or petroleum solvents, have many disadvantages including flammability, toxicity, air polluting tendencies, increasing scarcity and expensiveness.